3 Bucs veterans who could be cut before the regular season

3 Bucs veterans who could be cut before the regular season

The NFL offseason is a period of constant change not just for rookies, but for veterans fighting to stay on the rosters. OTAs mark the beginning of a second evaluation period for front offices, where new additions and younger players begin to push out older players whose value no longer justify their contracts.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are not immune to this, and have a few veterans who could be cut before September.

The two key characteristics of vulnerable players are salary and positional planning. Obviously a player making millions while playing just a handful of snaps does not present a great return on value, especially if the player’s salary isn’t guaranteed. This problem is exacerbated when a team invests more long-term interest in newly signed free agents and draftees.

This offseason the Bucs attacked their roster deficiencies particularly along the offensive and defensive lines. While the Bucs have already made some cuts in accommodation of their new additions, more could come over the summer and during the preseason.

At or near the top of the vulnerable player list is right guard J.R. Sweezy. Of any player on the Bucs’ roster, Sweezy has the most glaring issues that could lead to a cut. First, he finished the 2017 season on injured reserve and still has yet to be cleared for football activities. There’s no sense keeping a player if he cannot get on the field, and Sweezy tenure in Tampa Bay has already been marred by lengthy injuries.

Also, Sweezy is due to make $6.5 million this season, but the Bucs could save $5.25 million of that by cutting him per Over the Cap. This would be less of an issue if they expected Sweezy to start. However, head coach Dirk Koetter has already indicated that third-year lineman Caleb Benenoch is a “wild card” at right guard. Together all these elements spell a worst-case scenario for Sweezy’s prospects in Tampa Bay. With another player taking his reps, Sweezy will have to battle for a starting spot and justification for his bloated salary.

J.R. Sweezy isn’t the only offensive lineman in danger of losing a roster spot. Right tackle Demar Dotson is in a similar if less imminently precarious situation. Currently the Bucs’ longest-tenured player, Dotson has his share of injury problems, also ending last season on injured reserve and missing OTAs due to knee surgery, though he is expected back by training camp. Dotson also has competition for his roster spot in third-round pick Alex Cappa, who general manager Jason Licht says will begin his career working at right tackle.

The last player in some danger of losing his job is running back Charles Sims. The former third-round pick re-signed with the Bucs on a one-year, $1 million deal a day before Tampa Bay took RB Ronald Jones II in the second round of the NFL Draft. Sims was already a bubble player when he re-signed as signified by the length of the contract and the absence of guaranteed money.

Sims already failed to pass Peyton Barber and Jacquizz Rodgers on the depth chart last year, and the addition of Jones only made the running back room more crowded. Sims only chance at staying on the roster is to get back to his 2015 form where he ran for 529 yards on 107 carries and caught 51 passes for 561 yards. Most likely he would have to complete for a third down role while also playing special teams. In any case, he has to justify the Bucs keeping four running backs on the roster.